SWEDEN GRABS THE LAST OF THE TURKEY

C O N F I D E N T I A L STOCKHOLM 000782

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/15/2019
TAGS: PREL TU CY EUN SW
SUBJECT: SWEDEN GRABS THE LAST OF THE TURKEY


1. (C) Both Hakan Emsgard, MFA Director General for Europe,
and Peder Spangberg, Turkey desk officer, confirmed to us
today that Sweden was moving forward with the opening of
Turkey's environment chapter of the EU acquis. The report is
"technically finished," Spangberg said, and is currently
being reviewed in a working group. If approved, it will be
forward to COREPER for final decision on either December 17
or 18. Sweden is currently planning on hosting two
Intergovernmental Conferences (IGC) back-to-back on Monday,
December 21. One IGC will be on Croatia, to open two
chapters, and the other on Turkey, to open the environment
chapter. Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt is planning to
attend both IGCs on behalf of the Presidency.

2.(C) Emsgard reported that some EU Member States had
reservations about the Commission's report on Turkey's
environment chapter. The Bulgarians, Austrians and Greeks
all have concerns related to the technical details on the
benchmarks and criteria. Commission staff are working
closely with these three Member States to satisfy their
concerns. Spangberg said any of the three could, in theory,
stop the process; "these countries are objecting on both
technical and political grounds. Some of the technical
concerns are valid." But both Spangberg and Emsgard said
they would be "very surprised" if Sweden were unable to open
the environment chapter before its EU Presidency concludes on
December 31. Spangberg indicated that in the December GAC,
ministers agreed that the environment chapter should be
opened this year. If the technical report is not passed to
COREPER this week, then Sweden will schedule an IGC between
Christmas and the New Year, Spangberg added.
BARZUN